Haha, thanks for the input.

The rules are very lopsided in favor of the Allies, I agree. But again, with Allies not setting up shuck-shuck, and Russia voluntarily going for Japan, I might just pull it off.

As it is, we play games in sets, with switching off between axis/allies. To win as axis is like “breaking serve” in tennis - you’re not supposed to win, but you do anyways. I’m definitely going to go for for a rule change for the next round.

After looking at the board a little more, I think Japan can make up for lost time. Even with good Russian play, Japan can take SFE on J3, and Yukut on J4, while putting adequate pressure to keep the China-Burma front against UK. BB’s swing down in J4 to take potshots, setup for an assault on J5.

With the allied fleet out of position in Africa (not the Algeria-W.Eur SZ, the one below it), it will be US4 or later to develop pressure on Germany. Hopefully by G5, Germany will have broken through the Eastern front. The real question is how much to devote to Africa, to see if I can get US/UK to commit entirely to Africa. (US bought a bomber on US2)

Bashir:

The house rules are modified forms of RR, 2hit BB (everything else is standard 2nd ed):

RR - Russia can make no land attacks on German land forces (but Manchuria, and air attacks are ok)

2hit BB - battleships get 2 hp, but requires 8 IPC to fix 1 hp damage - option to fix at the end of turn, using IPCs collected for next turn. (This makes for some interesting tradeoffs - trans are more useful cannon fodder, but can only be deployed in IC SZs)

I’m aware that Axis needs significant bids to win against fully-optimized play, but luckily or unluckily, my play group isn’t there yet. Axis has a fighting chance with no bid, because my Allied opponents haven’t discovered the correct way to pressure Germany (shuck-shuck), and how important it is to prevent RUS from having two fronts. Sounds cocky, I know, but I think I have a fair chance.

Here’s what actually happened:

First turn: Russia doesn’t put enough in Karelia, and actually sends units towards Japan. Germany amphibs Egypt (2 hit BB), airforce takes out Gibraltar BB but UK fleet untouched. Germany strafes Karelia, evacuating Norway, leaving 1 INF in Ukr. Bad dice rolls make the battle about even. UK sends UK fleet plus W.Can trans to amphib assault Algeria, UK bomber to RUS, builds AC in UK, no India factory. Japan pearl harbors (I know ncscswitch hates that - but I just don’t have that confidence to leave a big US fleet, esp with Russia going the other way!), takes China. US sends surviving ships to Panama Canal, trans and inf, the usual. US sends E.US trans to reinforce Algeria.

Second turn: Russia still doesn’t put enough in Karelia, more units to Japan, takes Finland, Ukr, Manchuria. Will seriously limit Japanese expansion speed. Germany strafes Karelia (lose 3INF for 6INF), sends just built S.Eur trans as cannon fodder, with airforce to sink 1 UK BB, 3 trans. Lose transport.  UK brings back AUS INF to India, India fighter & RUS bomber sink 3 unprotected Jap transports, lose fighter. (My BIG mistake, and cost of pearl harbor.) Japan takes China, Manchuria, Jap fleet based in Japan. US sends two trans with inf to French West Africa, takes Libya with Algerian troops and air support, BB moves to W.US, trans, inf, tank buy.

So, the current status (end of second turn):

Positives:
Germany has only lost one fighter, all other off. units intact. (10 tanks, 4 ftr, 1 bomber)
Japan has lost no offensive units (5 ftr, 1 bomber, 1 tank)
Germany has temporary command of Med (1 2-hit BB, trans).
Germany has no pressure on Eastern front (9tanks, 8inf, 1 ftr in EE, vs. 5inf in Kur, 2inf in Caucusus, 2 tanks in RUS)
US and UK with moderately-sized commitments to Africa.

Negatives:
Japan severely restricted by Russia deployment to Asia, loss of transport capacity.
Germany has not taken much African UK income, now heavily outnumbered in Africa.
UK Indian transport still alive (2nd mistake - had chance to destroy it.)

Situation:
Japan’s front is Manchuria, China, Fr Indo-Burma, each with enough infantry to hold out against immediate assault, but not enough to take territories. 3 trans from J2 build, plus entire fleet in Japan SZ, with one trans in Kwangtung SZ.
Russia holds opposite front with 2 INF in every territory, and tanks in RUS, Novo.
No pressure on German East Front, but Africa has UK forces (1 ftr, 2 INF, 1 tank) in Algeria, US forces in Fr. W Africa (4INF, 2 ftr), US forces in Libya (2 INF). German forces consoldated in Equatorial Africa (3 INF, 1 tank).

German airforce has chance to destroy 2 US trans off Equatorial Africa, with 3 W.Eur fighters, German Bomber, and/or attacking exposed UK units, using 3 INF as cannon fodder. Tank would blitz down toward undefended S. Africa.

(I’ll give a more detailed description if people are interested).

Hi, new to A&A. Although I’m new, I’ve managed to beat ppl who’ve played the game for several years, even taking GER on R6, due to a poor African strategy and a pre-mature move to Caucasus (G4) by the German stack. Been lurking in the forums for a few days.

Anyways, we have new house rules, so I need a little help with my GER opening. The house rules are modified forms of RR, 2hit BB (everything else is standard 2nd ed):

RR - Russia can make no land attacks on GER (but Manchuria, and air attacks are ok)

2hit BB - battleships get 2 hp, but requires 8 IPC to fix 1 hp damage - option to fix at the end of turn, using IPCs collected for next turn. (This makes for some interesting tradeoffs - trans are more useful cannon fodder, but can only be deployed in IC SZs)
–-----------------------------------------------------------
My standard GER opening (for RR, 1hit BB):

(Assumes Baltic Fleet Sunk)

8 INF, 1 trans

Fighters, Bomber, and W.Eur sub to sink 2 UK BB groups. (Leaving E.Can UK trans, Syria/Iraq UK sub alive).

BB and trans stay in S.Eur SZ

African forces south, blitz down. Trans 2 INF to Libya. (If necessary, ready to hit Egypt on G2 with 3INF + 1 tank, plus units from trans, BB shot, and fighters)

If defense die total for Karelia is less than 6-12 more than Finland, E.Eur, Ukraine total offensive total (including tank blitz from GER, S.Eur), then all above mentioned units hit Karelia for one round, retreating to E.Eur, leaving 1 INF in Finland, Ukraine. (Basically, If RUS doesn’t put enough in Karelia, it’s worth it to hit Karelia to evacuate tank from Finland, while losing, on average, 1-2 INF more than Russia, or if Russia is stupid, actually losing less INF than Russia does!)

Place 2-3 INF plus 1 FTR to W.Eur, Bomber in GER,  everything else to E. Eur., except possible tank in S.Eur, for transport to Africa.

Deploy trans to S.Eur, 2-4 INF for deployment to Africa, remaining INF to GER.

The only real problem with my standard opening is that 2hit BBs are harder to kill, making Axis airforces losses more likely. Normally, I send 4 FTR against UK SZ, and 1FTR, 1Bomber, and sub against Gibraltar BB. (As you guys already know, moving the Med BB out to Gibraltar opens it to UK air attack.

I like to use more power than necessary, because I’d rather have a very low chance of losing more than one fighter, than take more risk to sink the W.Can trans, or other assets.

But with 2 hit BB, should I just use the same opening (and just accept more losses) or adjust them somehow?

(I’ve also read ncscswitch’s GER opening strat - interesting G1 amphib invasion of Egypt - but what if the sub scores a hit?)